Emma Jean by Lee Fields and The Expressions
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Emma Jean by Lee Fields and The Expressions
Much like Charles Bradley, gifted soul-singer Lee Fields had spent years in the "minors" before achieving relative notoriety in the late 2000s. Bradley's shtick is more intriguing because he came out of nowhere and became popular as a senior citizen without a single previous album to his name. Fields' newfound success is perhaps sweeter though, because he had spent the last 35 years putting out an impressive string of records that did what most records do when they lack a large launching pad that can lift them to the masses—flop!
In those years, his only legitimate claim to fame was a single that hit number 91 on the R&B charts in 1986. That single brought Fields some attention. But it wasn't from the average music listener. It was from underground hip-hop producers who began sampling his songs to make their own art.
But life, as we know, can be quite funny. In 2012, the 61-year old Lee fields finally received significant attention on his own with Faithful Man, which was the closest thing he had to a hit record. It reached 68 on the R&B charts, received an impressive 7.0 by Pitchfork and was generally received warmly by writers of other prominent music publications. 2014's Emma Jean proves that the success of Faithful Man wasn't a fluke. There isn't a bad cut on this record, but, like many of his previous albums, the most fantastic quality Emma Jean is its aesthetic.
Emma Jean is not only influenced by old soul records of the 60s, it actually sounds like one. It's an odd slice of time that you can't help but marvel at. Of course, that's not really an achievement to write home about by itself. To make a record that has the old-time aesthetic of 60s soul music, all you need is the idea. The sonics can be created with relative ease using studio trickery and all you need is capable instrumentalists to lay down the tracks. But Fields is the perfect artist to front such a concept, because he really can sing! Naturally, he's fairly outstanding. But, the fact that he is 63 is remarkable. Why? The James Brown and Wilson Pickett records that everyone fell in love with 50 years ago were the works of singers in their 20s or 30s. And at 63, Lee Fields sounds like one of their contemporaries—though certainly not an equal. That alone may make this album a must listen for 2014. But it helps that it is simply a damn good album, too.
Emma Jean by Lee Fields and The Expressions
